Cellphone use is safe in hospitals

Contrary to widespread belief, cellphone calls do not affect hospital medical devices, researchers said Friday in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, but store anti-theft alarms might make implanted heart devices misfire.

Tests at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., showed normal use of cellphones caused no noticeable interference with patient care equipment, they said.

Dr. David Hayes and colleagues tested cellphones using two technologies from different carriers, switching them on near 192 different medical devices, and concluded bans on the phones are unmerited.